Spirited Again
by RentHeadNN
Summary: Chihiro Ogino is in her third year in high school, seven years since she's been to the spirit world. The problem is, she believes it was all a vivid dream... that is, until she meets the new transfer student...
1. Chapter 1

Hi to all readers! This is my first fanfic to "Spirited Away", but it's the second time I upload the first chapter. As I was rereading how my story turned out, I realized that maybe I rushed the beginning and it lacked elaboration for certain things. I was unhappy about that, so I decided to rewrite and add some chapters to give the story more depth. If interested, you can read the original publication on my blog. The link will be in my profile description. Enjoy!

"Chihiro, we're going to be late!"

The last bell rang five minutes ago, and students were already scattered from their classes out into the hallways. Chihiro was being pulled out of her seat and dragged out of her now empty classroom by her friend Yuki.

"Come on! The book club meeting starts in five minutes!"

"Hold on!"

Chihiro picked up her trusty sketchbook bound in white canvas and raced out of her classroom with Yuki, who was already down the end of the packed hallway toward headed towards classroom 3-C, the book club room. Every Tuesday after school, that's where its members met at 3:05pm, and Yuki was its vice president, which is why she was in such a hurry. She effortlessly dodged students left and right, leaving Chihiro behind. Chihiro was quite the opposite of Yuki, bumping and hitting her classmates and underclassmen with her heavy bookbag, her sketchbook, and running into nearly everyone.

"Hey, watch it!"

"Sorry!"

"Ow!"

"Excuse me!"

"Careful!"

"My bad!"

"Where's the fire?"

"I'm sorry!"

She looked up to find Yuki nowhere in sight. "Yuki, wait," she called, her voice at a normal volume, her friend out of earshot and no longer visible in the hall. Chihiro steadied her pace to a slower stride as students either headed to their respective clubs or home. She passed by poster after poster of school clubs, reading each one to herself.

"Drama… chess… music appreciation… art… debate… cinema… anime… pottery… book—wait…"

Chihiro found herself pass someone out the corner of her eye, admiring the book club poster. Their back was turned towards her; hence, she couldn't see their face. They wore the same school uniform Chihiro wore, but with pants instead of a skirt, indicating they went to her school. Still, with the style and length of their black hair, she assumed, and felt the sudden urge to speak to them.

"Excuse me, miss, could I help you?" she said. The person turned to Chihiro, and immediately she blushed. "I'm so sorry! I saw the hair and I thought-"

"It's okay," the boy laughed, "I've been getting that all day."

"I mean, it's not unheard of for girls to wear the boys' uniformOHMYGOSHCHIHIROSHUTUP!" Clearly flustered, Chihiro laughed it off and asked, "So, uh, can I help you…?"

The boy laughed. "River," the boy said, bowing his head. "River Kohaku. It's a pleasure." River looked up at Chihiro and smiled. "I transferred here from Hiroshima."

"Oh, yes! You're the new boy I've heard so much about." Without skipping a beat, Chihiro bowed her head and introduced herself. "I'm Chihiro Ogino. I'm in class 8-A."

"I'm in class 1-B, I think."

They exchanged a smile, and Chihiro felt a sudden chill creep up and down her spine. _I've never met this boy before… yet it feels like I have… why?_ she thought.

Chihiro shrugged it off. "You're in the same class as my friend Yuki," she chimed. "Yuki Harufuji?"

"Yes, I believe so." River gave Chihiro a warm, gleaming smile, and she felt herself blushing yet again. She cleared her throated and pointed at the poster River was looking at.

"Were you admiring the book club poster?" she asked, beaming.

River gazed at the poster Chihiro was pointing at once more, a print of a watercolor. It resembled the side of a building, with a sign that read "Bathhouse to the Spirits." The sky was a navy blue with a big, bright full moon. There was also the shadow of a large creature, seemingly a dragon, white with a streak of teal down its back.

"Yes, it's truly an inspired work of art," he said.

"I'm glad you like it, because I did it!" Chihiro giggled.

River's eyes widened in disbelief, turning to both the poster and Chihiro.

"You did this?"

She nodded, tittering.

"Wow, it's beautiful! What provoked this?"

Chihiro tilted her head back, unsure if she should share something so personal.

"If you don't want to share, it's okay," he assured.

"No, it's okay," Chihiro said, finally deciding. "When I first moved here, I guess I fell asleep in the car" she began, "and I dreamt that was kidnapped and forced to work in a bathhouse that catered to spirits." She pointed at the building in the poster and writing on its side. "See? 'Bathhouse to the Spirits'. It probably sounds silly, huh?"

"No, not at all," River reassured, listening intently as Chihiro recounted her dream.

"Everything about the dream is a blur now, but what really stuck with me was this." Chihiro smiled to herself as she and River turned to admire her watercolor print. Then Chihiro covered her mouth and giggled nervously while blushing bright red. River turned to her curiously.

"What's wrong, Miss Ogino?"

"N-nothing. Just that," Chihiro admitted bashfully, "I've never really shared that with anyone, not even my parents, just Yuki."

"Why not?" he asked. His face was pale and flawless like granite, and his eyes as light and bright as aquamarine. He stirred something in Chihiro that only happened when she dreamt of the bathhouse.

"I don't know. I guess it's something I've always really kept to myself," she admitted. "And, for some reason, I feel I have met you before."

"I feel like I know you too, Miss Ogino," River laughed, smiling warmly at her. Chihiro felt herself getting flustered again. Then, with an air of sudden urgency, she exclaimed, "What time is it?"

River propped up his wrist to glance at his watch. "3:15."

"I'm late!" Chihiro squealed. "Yuki will be fuming! Excuse me, Mr. Kohaku!" She bowed her head hastily and began sprinting to room 3-C, then stopped, turned around, and called out to River.

"River- I mean, Mr. Kohaku, would you like to join us for the club meeting? If you don't mind?"

River made a pensive face, so Chihiro added, "If it's not your thing, it's okay."

"Don't mind if I do," River said, flashing another smile at Chihiro.

"Uhh, follow me," she said, blushing furiously. "It's this way."

She began hurrying down the hall, with River following closely behind.

 _Why am I thinking about the dream? Why am I feeling this way all over again? Why does he feel familiar if I've never met him?_ Chihiro wondered, trying to make sense of her thoughts.


	2. Chapter 2

This my first fanfiction based on Studio Ghibli's "Spirited Away". A few parts have been rewritten because I reread the original and was unhappy with the lack of elaboration. I hope you like the new version, but if interested, the original will be available to read in my blog. The link is in my profile description. Enjoy!

"And that concludes our book club meeting," Yuki chimed, smiling wryly in Chihiro and River's direction. "Enjoy the rest of your week, everyone! See you next Tuesday!" Students slowly filed out from room 3-C, stuffing their storybooks into their schoolbags.

"That was sure… something…" River expressed curiously. Chihiro smiled sheepishly

"Yeah. Sorry," Chihiro said. "I guess Yuki wasn't too happy with my being late again."

"Oh, no, Ms. Ogino. Please," pleaded River, "It was my fault you were late today."

"Oh, it's okay. Yuki will get over it after dinner," Chihiro giggled. "And if not," she added, "I'll bring her some of my famous crepes tomorrow. She loves those."

River smiled and laughed, making her feel at ease. They walked together to the front of their high school. "Are you getting picked up?" River asked.

"I like to walk, it clears my head," Chihiro smiled. "How about you?"

"I don't live too far, either, I think near the library," River said.

"Me, too. Walk with me?" she asked.

"Sure."

"So, uh," Chihiro muttered, blushing yet again. "Why'd you transfer from Hiroshima? Did your parents get transferred for work?"

"Sort of. I live with my uncle Kamaji and his daughter Lin," River said. "She wanted to attend university here and my uncle didn't want her to spend money on housing, so we came along."

"Oh, really? Did you have a hard time with moving?"

"No, I like starting over in a new place. I like meeting new people and seeing new places."

"Wow, I wish I had that attitude when I first moved here," Chihiro admitted.

"Why do you say that?"

"When I found out my parents wanted to move, I didn't take it too well. I didn't want to leave behind friends or my old elementary school."

River looked thoughtful. "I know,"Chihiro laughed, "What people don't tell you is when you're a kid in a new place, you adapt faster than if you were older."

"That or you don't mind being a rolling stone," River chuckled.

"That's right," Chihiro laughed.

"And do you paint very often? How did you get into it?"

"Oh, heh." She held out and looked at her sketchbook. "I actually got into drawing and watercolor right after I moved here. After the dream of the bathhouse, I was suddenly inspired. My mother saw that all I wanted to do was draw after moving and encouraged it."

"I wonder, do you still have some of your old drawings?" asked River.

"Like you wouldn't believe!" Chihiro exclaimed, her excitement barely contained. Then she felt herself becoming flushed with embarrassment. "Sorry, Mr. Kohaku."

"Please, call me 'River'," River said.

"And call me 'Chihiro'."

"And don't be sorry, Chihiro. That excitement shows you're passionate about your art and drawing. That kind of passion in a person is rare, and you must never lose it."

Chihiro thought about it for a moment as she and River walked. "You're right," she said, timidly grinning.

"You know, I recall seeing a poster for the art club," River remembered. "How come-?"

"I'm in book club instead?" She giggled. "I don't know, I guess it would feel like another class if I were to join art club. With books, I'm inspired by the imagery the words create."

"That makes sense," he chuckled.

They approached a little blue house passing the public library, and Chihiro fumbled for her house keys. "This is me," she announced, unlocking the front door. She turned around to face River. "It was nice to meet you, Mr. Ko—I mean, River."

"It was nice to meet you, too, Chihiro." River smiled at Chihiro and he walked home. She closed the door behind her and jumped about five feet in the air with joy, silently cheering. She then stopped and peeked out the window. River was out of sight, and Chihiro resumed with her victory dance.

"New friend!" she cheered to herself. "And he's cute!"

After tiring herself out, Chihiro picked up her things from where she dropped them in the living room and went to her room. She sat at her desk and began to doodle. Of what, even she wasn't sure.

 _Uncle Kamaji…_

Getting lost in her drawing, Chihiro didn't realize she had drawn an old man with sunglasses, completely bald, a gray mustache so thick, he had no mouth, and six long arms that graced the handles and levers of a boiler room.

 _And what are those little black fuzzy circles?_ she wondered. _I drew them. How don't I know what they are?_ Chihiro continued drawing, getting lost deeper and deeper in her drawing. _Little spirits…? No… soot sprites… created by the boiler man Kamaji…_

Just then, her cellphone chimed, breaking her out of her trance. Yuki had sent her a text. _That's probably enough drawing for a day,_ she thought, grabbing her phone and opening the message.

 _Yuki-chan:_ **Chihiro? How come you were late again?**

 _How do I respond?_

 ** _Chi:_** **No excuse. But I did call after you to slow down**

Yuki replied five minutes later.

 _Yuki-chan:_ **Hmm fine**

 **Wjo was that you brought to book club?**

 **Who***

Chihiro was pensive for a moment, thinking of how River's being felt all too familiar even though they just met. How, somehow, he was inspiring the dream again.

 ** _Chi:_** **Hes a new kid in your class.**

 _Yuki-chan:_ **Oh yeah! River, right?**

 ** _Chi:_** **Yeah**

Yuki didn't reply for another five minutes. Chihiro messaged her again.

 ** _Chi:_** **Hello?**

 _Chime!_

 _Yuki-chan:_ **Do you think you could talk to him for me?**

Her heart sunk a little. Chihiro was interested in River too, of course. But how could she say no to her best friend?

 ** _Chi:_** **I'll mention your name, but I think its best if you talk to him yourself, Yuki.**

 _Chime!_

 _Yuki-chan:_ **OK**

 **Is it OK with you?**

Chihiro wanted to tell the truth, but she also wanted her friend to be happy.

 ** _Chi:_** **Yeah :)**


	3. Chapter 3

This my first fanfiction based on Studio Ghibli's "Spirited Away". I know it's starting to seem like a teen drama and I'm just using the names, but I promise the story will pick up. In the words of Aaron Burr, wait for it. I hope the reader enjoys it, and if so, rate and review fairly!

It was Thursday during lunch, and Chihiro took out her lunchbox her mother had prepared for her. _Awesome! Salmon onigiri and seaweed salad!_ she thought. _Score!_

"Hi again, Chihiro!"

She looked up and saw both River and Yuki walking towards her. River was holding his own lunchbox and Yuki was holding three cola cans.

"Look what River got us!" Yuki said, beaming, holding up the soda. She set it down, one in her place, a second before Chihiro, and the third for River. River smiled and set his lunch down and sat across from Chihiro, and Yuki sat next to him.

"Thank you, River," Chihiro said, "Really. I forgot my money to buy a drink."

"Please, it's my pleasure," he confirmed.

Chihiro smiled approvingly at River, then quickly turned her attention to Yuki. She set a second lunchbox down in front of Yuki. "And lookie what I brought you!" she chimed. "Crepes! And…" Chihiro pulled out a second, smaller container. "Homemade strawberry jam!"

"Thank you, Chihiro! You're the best!"

Chihiro turned to River. "I told you she loved them," she giggled. River chuckled.

"Tomorrow, I'll bring you two something. I promise," Yuki suggested.

"It's okay, Ms. Harufuji," River said.

"Please, I insist," Yuki proclaimed, "And no formalities, please. 'Yuki' will do."

"Yeah, River, you'll come to know that when Yuki promises something, she doesn't change her mind and follows through."

Yuki nodded quickly to confirm.

"Okay, okay," River chuckled, "I guess you can't be stopped, Yuki." He opened his lunchbox to reveal a panda onigiri, a vegetable stir-fry, and four little hot dog octopi.

"So how long have you two been friends?" he asked.

"Since she moved here, I'd say," Yuki said. "She was introduced to the class, and when it was lunchtime, I invited her to sit with me."

"Sounds about right," confirmed Chihiro. She bit into one of her rice balls, her mouth watering with every bite. _Gosh, that's so good!_ she thought. Chihiro finished her first rice ball and said, "we found we had a lot in common, and slowly we pretty much became best friends."

"How lucky," River said, "I had one best friend when I was a child where I lived before, but she left a long time ago."

"Aw, I'm sorry," Chihiro said. "Did you have friends after that?"

"Some here and there, but I never found that closeness again."

"Well, lucky for you," Yuki said between bites of crepe, "Chihiro here latched onto you and brought you to book club."

Chihiro added, "You're stuck with us now."

River laughed again. "I don't mind. You two are a delight, and I got lucky."

The trio enjoyed their lunches and sodas, talking and joking, smiling and laughing, getting to know each other, telling stories, recounting embarrassing times, likes, and dislikes. Then it was time to return to class.

"Thank you again, Chihiro, for the crepes," Yuki said. "I'll bring back your dishes washed tomorrow."

"Oh, no problem, just bring them whenever," Chihiro called. As she walked to 8-A, she caught a glimpse of Yuki and River walking back to 1-B laughing together. _Well, at least before they become too close as friends,_ she thought.

Later after school, Yuki, River and Chihiro met up and walked home together, Yuki departing first, as she lived closer to middle school and farther from the library.

"I'll leave you two now," Yuki called, waving, "Home for me is this way."

"Okay, get home safe," Chihiro called back.

Chihiro and River walked together, and when she was sure Yuki was out of earshot, she began.

"I think Yuki has taken a liking to you, River."

"Really?" River looked genuinely puzzled. "I didn't notice."

"Really? It's as obvious as the sun to me."

"Honestly, I hadn't noticed," he assured, "I don't really pick up on things like that."

"You must've had admirers before."

"If I did, they must've kept it pretty well hidden," River surmised, obviously stunned.

"Hmm, how funny. You're blissfully oblivious to when someone likes you," Chihiro giggled, "Okay, changing the subject, who made you your lunch? The little hot dog octopi were so cute!"

"Oh, heh." River laughed bashfully. "My cousin Lin prepared that for me, and she gets creative all the time."

River then turned away, hiding his face unsuccessfully from Chihiro. "My goodness, are you blushing? Chihiro asked.

"No."

"You are!" she laughed "I would've never expected a calm, collected person like you to blush!"

"My cousin makes my lunches and has fun with it. It's not something I admit to just anyone."

"I think it's kind of sweet, River," Chihiro said.

"Yeah?"

"Yes."

They reached her house, and before River could continue home, Chihiro gave River a note with two names and numbers on it.

"Here, before you go, here are mine and Yuki's numbers," Chihiro said.

"Great, thank you," he said with a smile.

"And you should give Yuki a call. I think she'd like that."

"Okay, I will." Then River looked pensive. "Are you alright with it?"

Chihiro shrugged. "Why wouldn't I be?"

River folded the note and put it in his back pocket and nodded. "I guess I'll give her a call tonight. I'll see you tomorrow, Chihiro."

"Bye, River, see you tomorrow."

She closed the door behind her and began to walk to her room when her mother appeared from the other room.

"River? Who's River? A boy you like?" she asked, smiling the way mothers do when their child has a crush.

"He's a new kid at my school, Mom," Chihiro assured. "And we're just friends."

"Are you sure, Chihiro?" she teased.

"Yes, Mom."

"Are you 'sure' sure?" her mother continued.

" _MOM_."

Her mom laughed while Chihiro hurried to her room to do homework.

That night, after showering and getting ready for bed, Chihiro got a phone call from Yuki.

"Hello?"

" _Chihiro! Are you busy?_ "

"No, I'm just getting ready for bed. Why?"

" _I'm just telling you then. River called me!_ "

"Oh, that's great. And what happened?"

" _He asked me out for Friday evening!_ "

Chihiro's heart sunk again. "Did he? That's great."

" _And I'm not even going to question how he got my number because I'm sure you had something to do with it!_ "

"You're right, I gave it to him."

" _And obviously you mentioned me, too! Thank you for that!_ "

"What are friends for, right"

" _Hey, are you okay?_ "

"Yeah, just really sleepy."

" _Okay, I don't want to keep you up. Good night, Chihiro. Thank you again._ "

"No problem. Good night, Yuki."

They hung up, Chihiro turned out the lights, and got cozy.

 _What are friends for?_


	4. Chapter 5

This is my first fanfiction based on Studio Ghibli's "Spirited Away." Chihiro is home after running errands for her mother and, after running into the surprisingly familiar faces of River's uncle Kamaji and cousin Lin, is hit with nostalgia yet again. As the reader of my fanfic, please, don't hesitate to PM me and give me some constructive criticism, as I'm open to suggestion. Nevertheless, I hope the reader enjoys it, and if so, rate and review fairly!

"Dinner was delicious, Dad," Chihiro said, clearing the plates.

"Thank you," he said, beaming.

"So, honey," her mother said, "You never answered our question. Why aren't you hanging out with Yuki tonight? Friday nights, you two usually are."

"Oh, I never answered?" Chihiro asked. Her mother shook her head. "Um, Yuki had a date." She began to wash the dishes she had cleared.

"Oh, really?" her dad asked. "With who? With Akio?"

"No, with the new transfer student."

"Oh, yes, the new kid you mentioned. What was his name again?"

"River."

"And how has it gone? Will there be a second?"

 _Dad, stop_ , Chihiro thought, scrubbing too hard and chipping off a painted flower from her plate. As if she read her thoughts, her mother turned to her husband and said, "Akiichirō, maybe let it go for now."

"What, Ichiyūko? I'm just curious. I'm not allowed to be curious?" he asked defensively. Her mother discretely nudged her head at Chihiro. He turned to his daughter, back to his wife, and mouthed _What?_

 _I think she likes him,_ she mouthed back.

He shrugged _what?_ Ichiyūko sighed, pointed at her mouth, and exaggerated her mouth movements.

 _I think she likes him._

Akiichirō realized what Ichiyūko was saying, looked back at Chihiro, and turned back to his wife, mouthing _Okay._

After finishing the dishes and running out of things to keep her occupied, Chihiro retired to her room and did what she did best: draw. She began to draw frogs, pigs, chicks, chickens, soot sprites, flowers, birds, clouds. She drew lines here and there, brought them together slowly, until they formed train tracks.

 _Chime!_

Chihiro had received a text from Yuki.

 _Yuki-chan:_ **Hi Chihiro! R U busy?**

She stared at the text message, looked back at her doodles, then at the message again.

 **No, what's up?**

 _Yuki-chan:_ **The date's over**

 **Its so soon. What time is it?**

 _Yuki-Chan:_ **What are you talking about? Its been a while**

 **Has it? What time is it?**

Chihiro looked at the time and thought, _Wow, it's 9:22pm already?_

 **Oh, youre right. But I think the date could've gone a little longer**

Yuki didn't respond for a few minutes.

 _Chime!_

 _Yuki-chan:_ **Actually can I call you?**

 **Sure**

Her phone was ringing, Yuki's face appeared on Chihiro's screen and she answered.

"Hi, Yuki."

" _Hi, Chihiro. What are you doing?_ "

"Just drawing."

" _Okay, cool._ " Yuki sighed, then spoke up. " _So I wanted to tell you how the date went, and it'd be too long if I texted you._ "

"Okay. Go on, I'm listening," Chihiro urged.

" _So… after we left my house, River took me to a little pizza place, where there were a few arcade games. You know the place… what's it called?_ "

"The one by the harbor? Uh… Pizza Factory?"

" _Yeah, that one. Well, we ordered pizza and played while we waited, and so far, it felt like it was going good,_ " Yuki said. " _but after we sat down, it was a little awkward. We didn't really have much to talk about._ "

"Oh, really? I would've thought you two would've had a lot to share."

" _There was the usual 'Tell me about yourself', 'Siblings,' 'Favorite things,' 'Where are you from,' you know, things like that._ "

Chihiro made her way from her desk to her bed and made herself comfortable. "Yeah? Go on."

" _But when we were done with the 'getting to know you' part, we kind of just… kind of…_ "

"What?" Chihiro turned from her back to her side. "What?" she asked again.

" _…_ _clammed up. No matter how much I wanted the conversation keep going, it quickly died down. We ate our pizza in silence for a good while. Then, ah…_ "

"Yes?"

" _The subject of conversation shifted to you._ "

 _What?_ she thought.

" _We started talking about hobbies we enjoy and hobbies we wished we had, then your drawing, your talent, then you._ "

Chihiro was confused.

" _It sort of bummed me out that River seemed to have perked up at the mention of you,_ " Yuki sighed. She sounded disappointed, and Chihiro knew it. She felt terrible, but she knew in her heart there was nothing she could do for Yuki.

"I'm sorry it didn't go well, Yuki."

" _It's fine. I'm sure River realized because he apologized. Then he paid, walked me home, hugged me, and apologized again_ ," Yuki said with a feeble chuckle. " _At least I knew he was into you and didn't string me along._ "

Chihiro teared up, feeling horrible. She dabbed away a couple tears. "I'm so sorry, Yuki," she managed through a sob.

" _I'll be fine, Chihiro, and it's not your fault_ ," Yuki said. It sounded as though she held back a sob, too. " _No one is. The heart yearns recklessly is all._ "

"How—ahem! How long have you been home?"

" _For the past hour. Just processing._ "

"I guess you let it out just now?"

" _Yeah. And now that I did, I guess I'll let you go. Good night, Chihiro._ "

"Good night, Yuki. I hope you feel better in the morning."

" _It's passed,_ " Yuki chuckled, " _Bye._ "

 _Chime!_

 _I just set my phone down_ , Chihiro thought as she picked it up. It was a message from River, and she sat up to read it.

 _River_ : **Evening, Chihiro. Yuki probably told**

 **you how it went by now. I'm so**

 **sorry about what happened. The**

 **last thing I wanted to do was hurt**

 **anyone, especially your best friend**

 **It may have hurt you too. Please**

 **let me know what to do to make it**

 **right with you two and I'll do it in a**

 **heartbeat. I hope to hear back soon.**

Chihiro thought about what to write for a minute, holding her phone for a what seemed like an eternity, then began to type.

 **Both Yuki and I think youre a good**

 **person and could be a good friend,**

 **and there are no hard feelings from**

 **either one, but I think you should**

 **keep your distance for a while. Yuki's**

 **heart still needs to recover**

She hit send and waited for his reply.

 _Chime!_

 _River_ : **I understand. Im just a phone call**

 **away. Don't be strangers**

Chihiro put her phone down and plopped her head down on her pillow. _I hope I did the right thing._


	5. Chapter 6

This is my first fanfiction based on Studio Ghibli's "Spirited Away. The date between Yuki and River was a bust, as River indirectly revealed he liked Chihiro, leaving Yuki heartbroken. What resulted was Chihiro asking River to stay away from the girls to help Yuki. But perhaps it'll be Yuki's turn to take care of Chihiro. I hope the reader enjoys it, and if so, rate and review fairly!

One night merged with another, and another, and a couple more, until a week passed, and another week, and soon, about five weeks passed. Chihiro would spend most of her time holding a pencil over her train tracks, inspiration just within her grasp, but eluding her all the same.

Even Yuki noticed her best friend hasn't been the same since the night of the date, as Chihiro wasn't as upbeat as before, and even either skipping or spacing out during book club meetings.

"Chihiro, are you okay? Are you getting sick?" Yuki asked.

"I've been fine, Yuki," Chihiro sighed, "Why wouldn't I be?"

"For one, look around you," Yuki said. Chihiro looked up from where she sat in the empty classroom. "The book club meeting's over. And the second reason I ask is, um…" Yuki pointed at the unfinished drawing of the train tracks in Chihiro's sketchbook. She pulled up a chair and sat opposite her. "Those train tracks have been there unfinished for five weeks. This is the first time I've ever seen you get stuck on a drawing for _five weeks_!"

"I'm fine, Yuki" Chihiro said, an edge of annoyance in her voice. She closed her sketchbook and stuffed it in her bag.

"Are you sure? Because you don't put your sketchbook in your schoolbag unless it's raining. It's sunny out."

Chihiro sighed, rubbing her forehead, clearly frustrated.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"There's nothing to talk about," she said, standing up abruptly. Then she sat back down, resting her face in her hand. "Sorry, Yuki. Of course you know there's something bothering me." Chihiro sighed heavily.

"I'm listening," Yuki assured, putting her hand oh Chihiro's shoulder.

"I haven't been feeling like myself," Chihiro sighed, letting out a sob. She wiped a tear away with the back of her sleeve.

"How so?"

"I feel so bad about not having talked to River for five weeks. He became a part of our group so fast, and now it feels like someone is missing. I can't explain it, but it's throwing me off completely and I don't know what to do." As she comforted her best friend, Yuki knew exactly what she had to do.

"Hey!" Yuki waved River over in the coffee shop.

"Hi, Yuki," River said, waving. He came over and sat across from her, admitting, "I was surprised to get your text."

"Yeah, to tell you the truth, I didn't think I was going to text. I hope you don't mind, I ordered you a hot chocolate and some of these to share." Yuki pointed at four madeleines.

"Thank you, Yuki," River said bashfully. The waitress came by the table. "Chai tea with almond milk?"

"Right here," Yuki chirped. "Thank you."

"And the hot chocolate?"

"Here, thank you."

"Enjoy, kids."

"I ordered you hot chocolate because it seems like a 'you' drink. I hop-"

"I'm so sorry, Yuki!" River interrupted, "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings or reject-"

"It's fine, River," Yuki laughed. She blew on her chai and took a small sip, but quickly recoiled. "Ah!"

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm okay. As I wanted to say," Yuki grimaced as she spoke, "It's okay, I've recovered, and five weeks have passed. We miss you. Chihiro especially."

"But she asked me to give you two space," River mused.

"For me," Yuki answered. "She was just being a good friend, and I was sort of blind to that until today."

"What do you mean?" he asked. He began scooping up whipped cream from his chocolate with a madeleine.

"I mean, she showed me the text she sent you on my behalf. I didn't ask her to ask that of you. It didn't even cross my mind," Yuki admitted. "She did that because she was looking out for me, and I know it wasn't easy for her to ask you to keep your distance."

"And what do you mean by _that_?" River asked again.

Yuki gave him a quizzical look. "Wow, you _are_ blissfully oblivious. I mean she likes you, you idiot." She took a sip of her chai, now significantly cooler. "Learn to read people."

River slumped back in his seat. "Chihiro likes me?"

Yuki nodded. "Yes. Sheesh. If you need it, you guys have my blessing."

River looked thoughtful as he nibbled a second madeleine and sipped his hot chocolate. "What are you thinking about over there?" Yuki asked. "I'm just wondering," River thought aloud, "how do I go about it?"

"Just take your time, and it'll come to you. Don't stress."

The waitress came by with the check and set it in the center of the table next to the madeleines. "Whenever you're ready." River began to reach for his wallet. "No, please, it's my treat," voiced Yuki. She set some money down on the little bill tray and took a bigger sip of her chai.

"Thank you, Yuki. Sincerely." He got up from the table with a second wind and a smile that stretched from ear to ear.

"Go get her," Yuki cheered, raising her cup with a smile.

The evening sun hung low in the sky when the doorbell rang at the Ogino household. "Hmm, who could it be at this hour?" Ichiyūko wondered aloud. She finished setting the table for dinner and went to the front door. She found River with a small bouquet of white and pink pansies.

"Um, good evening, Mrs. Ogino," a bashful River uttered. "I'm sorry if I interrupted something."

"No, no, it's quite alright," Ichiyūko chimed.

"I'm a classmate of Chihiro's. River Kohaku. It's a pleasure." He bowed his head.

"The pleasure is all mine. What can I do for you?"

"I-I was wondering," River stammered, "Um, i-is-is Chihiro home?"


	6. Chapter 7

This my first fanfiction based on Studio Ghibli's "Spirited Away". I can't say anything about this chapter without giving away spoilers, but I hope you, as the reader, can appreciate the direction I am going in! Rate and review fairly!

"Chihiro! Someone's at the door for you!"

 _Who could it be at this time of day?_ she wondered, standing up from her desk. She went out of her room, rubbing her eyes as she walked to the living room. She looked up and was shocked to see River standing there with a bouquet of pansies and a smile to greet her.

"Oh, uh, hi, River."

"Hi, Chihiro."

Chihiro turned to her mom, then River, then back to her mom. "Mom, do you think I can talk to River for a moment?"

"Sure. Take the time you need, honey," she assured, a gentle smile gracing her face. Chihiro took River by the shoulder and began to lead him to her room. "Hold on," her mom called, taking the bouquet from him, "I'm putting these in water."

"Thank you," River and Chihiro uttered in unison. They reached Chihiro's room and closed the door behind them. "What happened? What's this?" she finally asked.

"I wanted to come and surprise you," he said.

"But… Yuki… How can I explain this to her?"

"Don't worry, it was her idea."

Chihiro swore she felt her ears twitch. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Exactly as you heard," River assured. "It was her idea. She reached out to me, we met up for hot chocolate, we made amends, and she said if I still wanted to date you, I could."

Chihiro sat on her bed and processed for what felt like hours to River. He was sure she was getting ready to blow a fuse. "Are you okay?"

"So, what you're telling me is," she finally said, "you and Yuki went for hot chocolate and didn't invite me." Chihiro smiled, and River couldn't help but smile, too.

"Do you want to go out?" he asked. "Wi-with me?"

"Yes," Chihiro smiled. "When?"

"Now, if it's okay."

"Now?" Chihiro felt her heart shift into panic mode. "But I'm not dressed!" She pointed down at her baggy shorts and t-shirt. "And look at the time!"

"You're fine like that," he assured. "And I won't keep you long, I promise." River stood up and opened the bedroom door. "And bring your sketchbook."

"Mom, I'll be back!" Chihiro sang from the front door. "Sounds good, sweetie!"

"So, where are we going?" she asked.

"You'll see," River laughed. They walked down the hill to the woods the Ogino house overlooked.

"Um," she muttered, looking up at her house. He took her hand and led her into the woods down a path lined with little stone shrines. "Um," she muttered again, her voice shaking.

"It's okay, Chihiro," River assured. "Trust me." They walked along the path deeper in, and without thinking, she held his hand tightly, feeling a little cautious, but as she looked around at the canopy of branches and leaves, she couldn't help but feel like she'd been here before.

"What is this place?" Chihiro whispered, awestruck.

"Do you remember when we first met?" River asked, "What was the first thing you said?"

Chihiro blushed. "I thought you were a girl!" she squealed. "I said 'miss, do you need help?'"

River roared with laughter. " _One_ of the first things you said," he stifled through laughs.

She thought about it for a second, and they reached a little stone statue guarding a tunnel in a mysterious building. As they walked together into the tunnel, Chihiro realized she was holding River's hand. It felt right.

"I said… 'it feels like we've met before'."

"And I said, 'I feel the same way'."

They neared the exit of the tunnel, and as they stepped outside, the sun was nearly set, coloring the sky with beautiful shades of orange, purple, and blue. A full moon was out, hanging low. _I felt this before,_ Chihiro thought. She and River were still holding hands as he led her toward the bridge over a man-made river.

On the other side, there was even leveled ground, and a chain link fence around it. But just being there was enough for her. "I'm dreaming," Chihiro whispered. But she wasn't. It all came back to her, rushing like a cool, cleansing rain, bringing back every memory of the spirit world.

She felt the wind was murmuring something, calling to her, but Chihiro failed to listen before today. "Once you meet someone, you never really forget them."

 _That voice,_ she thought, _I remember that voice._

Memories began to flood her mind as Chihiro excitedly looked this way and that. "There's where the bathhouse was!" she shouted, overcome with emotion. "And here was the bay! Spirits would come in on the steamboat across it!" Her heart fluttered at remembering all the names of the spirits she met.

 _No-face…_

 _Boh…_

 _Chichiyaku…_

 _The Yuna…_

 _Yubaba…_

 _Zeneba… no, Granny…_

 _Kamaji…_

 _Lin…_

Chihiro turned to River and held his face in her hands, taking in his features, remembering his true name. "Hello again, Haku," she cried, tears welling in her eyes.

"I promised we'd meet again, Sen," Haku whispered.


	7. Chapter 8

This my first fanfiction based on Studio Ghibli's "Spirited Away". I hope the reader enjoys it, and I also hope the direction I'm taking the story in is appreciated. If so, rate and review fairly!

"How did you come to the human world?" Chihiro asked. "Are you still a spirit? Are you human? Are you here temporarily? What about Lin and Kamaji? Did you all remember me? What happened to everyone else? What happened here?"

"Chihiro, wait!" Haku pleaded, suddenly overwhelmed with questions. "One question at a time, please."

"Okay, okay," she agreed. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"I was afraid."

"Afraid of what?"

"Moments ago, when you didn't remember me yet—hmm, no—when we first met again, would you have believed me if I said that there was a sort of entrance to the spirit world here and that you once went through it?"

Chihiro thought about it, but she knew he was right. She shook her head sadly. "Up until a moment ago, I thought it was a dream."

"Exactly. I couldn't just say it. It probably would've scared you, or you would've thought I was crazy."

"Okay, I guess so," she admitted. "But what about the date with Yuki?"

"Stupidity on my part. I was going to let her down easy and ask to remain friends, but I guess I wore my heart on my sleeve at the wrong time."

Chihiro crossed her arms, facing away from Haku, processing what he told her. _He does sound sincere_ , she thought, _and he was never a liar_. She turned back to Haku, who looked concerned. "I believe you," she finally said, uncrossing her arms, as relief washed over Haku's face.

"So, Haku, tell me," Chihiro inquired, "is this all the date is going to be? Why'd you want me to bring my sketchbook? It doesn't matter how good our eyesight is, it'll be kind of hard to see it in the moonlight."

Haku then pulled out a palm-sized flashlight, turned it on, and held it under his chin. "Boo!" Chihiro couldn't help but giggle.

"You're silly," she laughed. "You seem to be relaxed now, from what I can remember."

He shrugged. "Now that I'm human and am in the human world, I guess I figured I can actually let loose and not be too serious. And now if you look there…" Haku shined the light on a small bag by the end of the bridge, and there, hidden at the side was a small plastic bag. He picked up the bag and revealed two bottles of water and a family-sized bag of chips.

"I was thinking we could enjoy this while looking through your sketches," he said. Chihiro was pleasantly surprised and could hardly contain herself once again. They sat at the bridge, their feet dangling over the edge, the water mirroring them as she opened her water bottle, then her sketchbook.

"Is that No-Face?" Haku asked, flipping the cover back.

"Yes," Chihiro smiled. "From what I could remember."

"You captured their likeness."

"Thank you." Chihiro turned to the first page, blushing. "Here's the long staircase—"

"—by the side of the bathhouse. I imagine it must've been unnerving for anyone who didn't fly to use it."

"Terrifying," she confirmed. "I remember screaming as I ran down. It probably wasn't a good idea, now that I think about it."

"The screaming or running?"

"Both."

They shared a laugh and kept leafing through the sketchbook, drinking their water, eating the chips until the bag was almost empty, and talking for what seemed like hours. Chihiro felt a rumble and was immediately alert. "What was that?" she asked.

"The entrance to the spirit world may be no more, but the rumbling of the train can still be felt from time to time."

"Hey! What are you kids doing here?!" A security guard came running towards them, his flashlight shaking as he came closer. "This is private property! You can't be here!" he yelled.

"Oh, my goodness! Run, Chihiro!" Haku shouted. He stood up, helped her to her feet, and began to run with Chihiro following closely behind. She clutched her sketchbook close to her chest as she ran, then it occurred to her…

"Wait, wait!" she shouted. Chihiro then ran back, put her and Haku's trash in the bag, picked it up, and ran back.

"What are you doing?!" he asked.

"If there's one thing I hate, it's littering!"

They ran to and through the tunnel, the security guard's yell echoing after them. "And stay out!"

Haku and Chihiro ran out of the woods until they reached the street, Haku catching himself on his knees and Chihiro falling to her elbows and knees, dropping the bag of trash, the two panting and trembling from the adrenaline.

"Are you okay?" Haku asked.

"Never better," Chihiro replied. "You?"

"I'll be fine," he panted. "What a rush!"

They managed a chuckle, and Haku helped Chihiro to her feet once again.

"So what now?" she asked.

"The night's still young. Would you like to see Lin and Kamaji?" he suggested.

Chihiro lit up. "Is that even a question?" she asked with a smile. Haku let out a chuckle and picked up the bag of trash she dropped. They walked together hand in hand as he led the way to his house, passing by a trash can on the way.


	8. Chapter 9

This my first fanfiction based on Studio Ghibli's "Spirited Away". I hope the reader enjoys it and the direction I'm taking the story in. If so, rate and review fairly!

Haku and Chihiro finally reached his home only to find it locked and the lights off. He knocked, hoping Lin or Kamaji were home. "Aw, and I don't have my key," he groaned.

"Hmm, so what now?" Chihiro asked, holding her sketchbook close.

"I don't know. Maybe they sent me a message. I put my phone on silent." Haku took out his phone and checked. "They did."

 _Lin_ : **We left u a spare key above the door frame, weirdo**

"That sounds like Lin," Chihiro snickered.

"Yep, it was from her."

Haku grunted as he reached up over the door frame, searching by feel. "Found it!" he announced triumphantly. He unlocked the door, turned on the light, and showed Chihiro in. "After you."

She stepped inside and looked around, taken aback by what she saw. "Um, is something wrong?" Haku asked. She turned to him, her face still stunned.

"It looks… like a… an ordinary home."

"Heh. What _did_ you expect?"

"I-I-I 'm not sure," she stammered, blushing. "I guess it just looks so… normal for… three former spirits."

Haku chuckled, "It took us a while, but we made it feel like home." He sat at the couch and patted the seat next to him. "How long is 'a while'?" she asked, sitting next to him and setting her sketchbook on the coffee table.

"We—"

The front door swung open just then, and two familiar faces came in.

"—got here about two years ago."

Chihiro gasped happily, stood up from the couch, and went to hug Kamaji and Lin as they quickly put down the bags of groceries. "I think Sen remembers now," Kamaji chortled.

"She's 'Chihiro' in this world, Kamaji," Haku corrected.

"But under this roof, you can call me whatever you like," Chihiro chirped.

"Let me put these in the kitchen," Lin grunted, picking up the groceries. "No, it's okay. I got it." Haku promptly got up and took one of the bags from Lin. Kamaji took Haku's place on the couch and Chihiro sat next to him.

"How'd you guys get here?" Chihiro asked Kamaji. "And two years ago?" She called to the kitchen, her hands gripping the back of the couch, "Haku! Didn't you transfer from Hiroshima?"

"We did come from Hiroshima," Kamaji confirmed, prompting Chihiro to sit properly, "And when we first came from the spirit world, it took us a while to adjust to the human world. So we located to Hiroshima first to 'practice'."

"I had to study my butt off to go through high school, then through the first year of university," sighed Lin, finally taking a seat next to Kamaji. Haku sat by himself on the loveseat, blowing a raspberry at Lin, and she returned the favor.

"Dork."

"Newb."

" _Anyway_ ," Kamaji continued, "I got a job and quickly climbed up to a management position. Haku adopted the name 'River Kohaku', giving us his last name."

"My surname is 'Kohaku' and Lin and Kamaji's surname is 'Nushi'," Haku explained.

"And… how did you three cross over and become human?" Chihiro asked.

"Three years ago, the gateway to the spirit world- the abandoned fairground- was finally torn down in the human world," Lin explained. "It's been sold since then, and is now private property."

Haku and Chihiro exchanged a knowing smile.

"I asked Yubaba to help me get to the human world about a year later," Haku said, "but she laughed and said 'Keep dreaming'."

"After that, rumors began to circulate about Haku going to the human world," said Kamaji, "And I asked if I could go with him."

"And so did I," Lin added.

"But I couldn't promise anything, as I was getting nowhere," Haku explained, "And it finally occurred to me to ask the one person I haven't asked yet."

Chihiro thought about it for a moment. "Zeniba?" she guessed. They all nodded.

"I went to Zeniba and asked her for the only, biggest favor I would ever ask of her," Haku said, "And if I could bring Lin and Kamaji with me."

"She said she would under one condition," Lin said. "Her condition was to tell you for her that she loves you and will miss you for the rest of her days."

Chihiro's eyes welled up, and she felt her throat lump up with sobs. "If only I could tell her I love and miss her, too," she cried, wiping tears from her eyes. Lin passed Chihiro a box of tissues. "Thank you," she sniffled.

"Before she cast her spell to bring us to the human world, she warned us that we'd never be able to return to the spirit world, then asked if we were willing to accept that," Kamaji said.

"And I think it's pretty certain where we stood," Haku smiled.

"Oh!" squealed Lin, "And before I forget!" She stood up and went to her room, then came back with a simple little cardboard box. Lin handed it to Chihiro, excitedly squealing, "Open it!" Chihiro opened it and pulled out a little woven bracelet, and from it dangled a little gold nugget and a fabric button. She fell in love instantly.

"Boh gave you a button from his favorite pillow, No-Face gave you a gold nugget, and Zeniba wove the bracelet itself," Haku said.

"I love it," Chihiro whispered, putting it on. Her phone then began to vibrate. "It's my mom. What time is it?" She saw the time and jumped up as if sitting on hot coal. "It's so late!" she squealed.

"Come on, Chihiro," Haku said, standing, "I'll walk you home."

"Goodnight, Lin, Kamaji," Chihiro said, picking up her sketchbook and bowing her head, "I'll see you soon."

"Goodnight, Se- Chihiro," they said.

"Oh, wow!" Chihiro said, "It really was lovely to see them again." She reached for Haku's hand and squeezed it. "And you most of all."

"I was afraid I'd never see you again, Chihiro," Haku said, kissing her hand. She blushed furiously.

"S-s-so, um," a flustered Chihiro stuttered, "Now that you and Kamaji are human, um, d-does that mean you can't turn into a dragon? Or that Kamaji no longer has extra arms?"

"Those were traits we had as spirits," Haku answered, "And now that we're human, there isn't a need for them anymore."

"So why does Kamaji still wear sunglasses indoors?"

"I think he didn't take them off when Zeneba brought us to the human world, so as a result, he has glaucoma as a human."

They reached her front door, and Chihiro reached for her key when Haku suddenly stopped her. He took her face in his hands gently and looked deeply into her eyes. "May I?" Haku asked, and Chihiro nodded, her heart fluttering. He kissed her gently, as if he was afraid to hurt her, but being there, Chihiro knew Haku never would.

"I love you, Chihiro."

"I love you too, Haku."

Late that night, even though she was in bed, Chihiro couldn't sleep. She felt she was floating on air, her kiss with Haku replaying in her mind over and over. She got up and got a small cup of water from the kitchen, suddenly inspired again. She took out her sketchbook and flipped to the unfinished drawing of the train tracks, her white whale.

 _A train is coming from the distance_ , she thought, finishing the final details. But the drawing was still unfinished. _It needs color_ , Chihiro decided, dipping her brush in the water, moistening her watercolors, and painting her train delicately. _Still not… quite right_ , she thought, _but what is it_?

Chihiro realized what she was missing and began to color in the base blue. _Water,_ she thought, smiling. _It was missing water_.

Her train and its tracks were finally completed, the tracks barely painted blue to mimick water. Chihiro couldn't help but feel pride, as she was finally finished with her watercolor, and held it up to admire it.


	9. Epilogue

I wanted to start this with a heartfelt thank you. It has been a journey writing this fanfiction for everyone to enjoy. It helped me get some closure on how the story of "Spirited Away" should end, especially because it was so open-ended and free to interpretation. And I'd like to dedicate this epilogue to my friend Mimi. After getting back in touch with her and her reminding me how much I loved writing, I felt inspired once again, and was determined to finish this fanfiction. And now, without further ado, here's the epilogue of "Spirited Again ".

 ** _Epilogue_**

Chihiro's phone vibrated by her bed, seemingly shaking the world, or at the very least, her room. Yuki was calling, her face popping up on the screen.

" _Get up, Chihiro!_ " Yuki shouted, clearly panicked.

"I'm up, I'm up," she groaned. Drawings lined her bed and crinkled as she stretched.

" _Chihiro_ ," Yuki repeated sternly. " _This isn't the first time I called you!_ "

"What do you mean?" She put Yuki on speaker and checked her notifications. "You sent me ten texts?!"

" _And called five times! Graduation is in an hour! You've got to get going!_ "

Chihiro then turned off her alarm and noticed five more notifications. "Haku says in a message that he's going to come over… NOW?!"

 _"River's already there! 'At your house' there!_ "

"What?!" she shrieked. There was knock at her door, and she dove out of bed, landing on her knees and stomach. "Ow!"

" _Are you okay? What was that_ " Yuki asked.

"Ah, yeah, I'm fine. I just fell out of bed," Chihiro gasped. "Thank you for calling, Yuki."

" _No problem. I'll see you guys later. Bye._ "

"Bye."

The girls hung up, and Ichiyūko opened the door and let herself in, finding Chihiro on the floor. "Honey, are you okay?" she asked, helping her teenaged daughter to her feet. "What happened?" she asked.

"Nothing, Mom, I was just clumsy," Chihiro sighed, rubbing her knees.

"Oh, okay. River's waiting for you in the living room." Ichiyūko lay out Chihiro's uniform on her bed. "Hurry and get dressed," she said, stepping out.

Chihiro got ready as fast as she possibly could, thinking _It's a good thing I shower before bed_. Finally dressed, she came out of her room and greeted Haku, who waited with a fresh white carnation.

"Good morning, Chihiro," he said, tucking the flower neatly in her hair. "Ready to go?"

"Not quite," she replied, smiling from ear to ear. Haku gave a puzzled look.

"Mom, do you have the pansy?"

"Right here." Ichiyūko smiled as she handed Chihiro the white blossom with the stem cut short.

"Now, Haku, turn to me," Chihiro said, and Haku obliged, letting her pin the pansy to his lapel. "There!" She turned to her mother and asked, "Mom, you and Dad will meet us there, right?"

"Yes, which reminds me," her mother sighed, "I still have to wake him up." She turned to Chihiro and raised her brow. "I wonder who you took after?"

Haku let out a laugh as Chihiro blushed. "Okay, Mom! We're gone! Haku and I will see you guys there!" she hurriedly muttered, practically pulling him out with her. "Bye!"

"I wonder," Haku said, he and Chihiro walking hand in hand to school, "What did your parents and Yuki think when you went from calling me 'River' to 'Haku'?"

Chihiro shrugged. "They thought it was a pet name from your last name. 'Ko _haku_ ', 'Haku'."

"Ah. And now the question remains," he said, a sly smile spreading across his face, "Did you stay up late drawing again? Is that why you slept through your alarm and calls and messages?"

She blushed again. "Um… yes… and yes…" she admitted bashfully. "But on the plus side, I've got a lot of new stuff to show you."

Haku laughed, "I can't wait to see it."

They arrived at school, then made their way to the auditorium, where Yuki was busy ushering parents to their seats. She saw Chihiro from the corner of her eye and called to her and Haku. "Chihiro! River! Hi!" she waved at them.

"Hi, Yuki!"

"Our classmates are over there!" She pointed to the entrance of the auditorium on the other side, where their peers have gathered. "The ceremony will start soon! Take your places! Hurry!"

From the crowd of parents and loved ones, Haku pointed out, "There are your parents! Hi!" He waved at them.

"And there are Lin and Kamaji!" Chihiro waved at them. "Hi!"

"Hi!" greeted Kamaji. Lin unfurled a homemade sign and held it up high for all to see. It read "Congratulations, Chihiro & Haku!"

Chihiro got flustered, and even Haku got bashful and hid his face. "After I came to the human world," he muttered, "it took me a while to get used to feeling embarrassed by my family." Chihiro giggled.

Yuki approached them and groaned. "I'm so tired," she sighed, leaning on Chihiro. "And famished. I've been here since 9am." She turned to the couple before her. "And thank you for dragging her out, River. I know how difficult it can be."

"It really wasn't any trouble."

"Really? Because-"

"Shh! The ceremony's starting!" yelped Chihiro. Yuki giggled.

After the ceremony, Chihiro met up with her parents. "Congratulations, sweetie! You did it!" her dad bellowed, giving her a bear hug and literally sweeping her off her feet. "Thanks, dad," she huffed. "Now put me down."

"Put her down," her mom laughed. "Where's River?"

"He went to find his uncle and cousin."

"Hey!" Haku greeted, pushing his way through the crowd with his family closely behind him. "Mr. and Mrs. Ogino, may I introduce my family?"

"Pleasure. I'm Haku's uncle Kamaji Nushi, and my daughter Lin." Kamaji and Lin bowed their heads.

"And we're Ichiyūko and Akiichirō Ogino. It's a pleasure," her mom said, bowing as well.

"They offered to take us out for burgers," Haku announced. "All of us."

Chihiro gasped happily and turned to her parents. "Can we go? Can we, please?" she pleaded.

"Sure, burgers sound good. Thank you," Akiichirō said, addressing Kamaji. "Lead the way."

Kamaji smiled and led the Nushi/Kohaku/Ogino clan out of the packed school auditorium, Chihiro and Haku trailing behind and holding hands.

"Chihiro?" Haku said, standing still, holding her back.

"Yes?"

He kissed her forehead, but it only made her frown. "You missed," she whispered, throwing her arms around his neck and kissing his lips.

"That's better."


End file.
